Philippines hit by deadly measles

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Philippines hit by deadly measles

A growing measles outbreak in the Philippines killed at least 25 people last month, officials said, putting some of the blame on mistrust stoked by a scare over an anti-dengue fever vaccine.Most of the dead are children and the toll is expected to rise as more cases are confirmed of the highly contagious disease, which has made a worldwide resurgence in recent years.Figures from the Philippines' n...

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A growing measles outbreak in the Philippines killed at least 25 people last month, officials said, putting some of the blame on mistrust stoked by a scare over an anti-dengue fever vaccine.

Most of the dead are children and the toll is expected to rise as more cases are confirmed of the highly contagious disease, which has made a worldwide resurgence in recent years.

Figures from the Philippines' national health authorities show cases jumped from 791 in 2017 to 5,120 last year.

The most recent numbers available show measles killed 30 in the first eight months of last year, and five in all of 2017.

Authorities said vaccination rates in the Philippines have been declining for years, but also pointed to the recent controversy over the safety of the Dengvaxia dengue vaccine. The vaccine's maker set off a panic when it said Dengvaxia could lead to more severe symptoms for people who had not previously been infected with dengue.